Microsoft Windows 11 on older PCs is OK, with a catch
TL; DR
- Microsoft has changed its stance on the Windows 11 minimum system requirements.
- The CPU support has been expanded to include a few more Intel CPUs.
- Some older systems can get Windows 11 too, just not through Windows Update.
Microsoft lets you upgrade your older PCs to Windows 11 after all. After a lot of shouting about the system requirements for Windows 11 that Microsoft announced a few weeks ago, it seems that the Redmond giant has changed its mind.
Related: Windows 11 beta impressions
In a blog post today, Microsoft announced its slightly updated system requirements for a Windows 11 upgrade. While the change isn’t all that big on paper, it’s noteworthy that the company hasn’t stopped users from manually trying to upgrade an older system to Windows 11. Its guidelines will more or less just prevent you from using Windows 11 through Windows Update.
Feel free to install Windows 11 on your older PCs yourself
Windows 11 will now officially support the Intel Core X-Series, Xeon W-Series and the Intel Core 7820HQ, which can be found in the Surface Studio 2. Now conveniently made the cut.
If you want Windows 11 officially through Windows Update, you still need an Intel 8th CPU. You also need at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
Microsoft also says users could still manually install Windows 11 from an ISO file. This applies as long as the system has a 64-bit CPU with a clock speed of 1 GHz and more, with at least 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. These are the absolute minimum requirements to run Windows 11. As expected, Windows 11 does not support 32-bit CPUs.
We asked, you told us: Most of you are planning to upgrade to Windows 11
Users also get more clarity about why their systems can’t get the official Windows 11 update. Microsoft is updating the PC Health Check app, and a preview is already available. The new app provides more details on why your system is not eligible for an upgrade, including whether just enabling TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot would be enough.
Microsoft provides a justification for the stricter requirements that are primarily based on security. This includes DCH driver support and a higher security standard with TPM and virtualization-based security. Regardless, it’s great to see Microsoft keep Windows 11 open enough for users to manually upgrade if they so choose.
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